Wednesday, October 22, 2008

ROASTED PUMPKIN & BELL PEPPER SALAD

Halloween is very close and pumpkin season is here again, so I thought that it would be a good idea to share with you the recipe for a delightful pumpkin salad that I invented on the spur of the moment, as I was asked to bring a salad on the occasion of a delectable Sardenian (Italy) dinner at Jessica & Jonathan's place (see Jessica's post here)...

I wanted a dish that would be very flavorful, vibrantly colorful, festive and Italianesque. After a long session of googling, notetaking and thinking, I finally came up with a gorgeous idea: I was going to make an antipasti-like salad that would be very versatile and could be paired easily with just any main dish and served at any occasion (picnics, parties, potlucks, Sunday meals, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc...).Although I'm not the kind of person who likes to praise my exploits in the kitchen, I must say that this "Roasted Pumpkin & Bell Pepper Salad" was/is awesome. The flavor of the vegetables are sublimated by this dishe's delightfully garlicky, mustardy, maple-kissed, nectarous and sour dressing, and by it's nut and bacon sprinkles. With it's rich, smoky, sweetly acidulated, caramelly taste as well as it's interestingly contrasting textures (crunchy and soft), this salad will captivate your tastebuds and conquer your gourmet heart!

Ingredients for the "Salad Dressing":6 Tbs Virgin olive oilThe juice of 1 big lemon1 Tbs Sweet mustard (see remarks)1 Tbs Maple syrup1 Tsp Thai sweet chili sauce1/2 Tsp Pimenton (or any smoked paprika)3 Cloves garlic, crushedSea salt, to tasteBlack pepper, to tasteIngredients for the "Salad":700g Pumpkin (see remarks), peeled, seeded, and cut in 4cm (1 1/2-inch) chunks3 Bell peppers (red and green), halved and seeded3 Big onions, halved and slicedA handful hazelnuts, roasted and chopped coarsely6 Slices of bacon, fried until crispy and broken into chipsMethod:1. Preheat the oven to 250°C (450° F).2. Line a baking tray/sheet with baking paper.3. Place the pumpkin chunks, bell peppers (face up) and sliced onions in a single layer on the baking tray.4. Spray with some olive oil and turn to coat evenly.5. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.6. Roast the vegetables, turning once, for 20-30 minutes or until golden and tender (not overcooked/you might have to remove the bell pepper halves before the pumpkin chunks).7. Remove from the oven. Wrap the bell pepper halves in aluminium foil. Set aside to cool (totally or not).8. Meanwhile, mix together all ingredients for the dressing.9. Peel the bell peppers and cut them into strips.10. Cut the pumpkin into bite-sized cubes.11. Place in a dish and drizzle evenly with the dressing.12. Let marinade a few minutes at room temperature (if served warm) or in the fridge for a few hours or overnight (if served cold).13. Just before serving, sprinkle with the roasted hazelnuts and bacon chips.14. Serve.

Remarks:If you want to use another oil (vegetable or nut), feel free to experiment (walnut, flaxseed, peanut, colza, etc...).I used Münchner mustard (German) for this salad, but you can also use any other sweet mustard (Swedish, etc...).Choose a variety of pumpkin which is sweet, flavorful and which doesn't disintegrate during the baking process (sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha, baby bear, etc...).

Serving suggestions:Serve this salad warm or cold, as a starter dish or as a side dish, alone or as an accompaniment to meat, fish, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, etc...

Wow. i had no idea it had all these ingredients after all. in the name of friendship, i am goign to be honest. my pasta was LE SUCK. it was dry and not at all how i imagined it and this bothered me all week. grr. Your autumnal salad was good, but something about it was not right. NOW, my disclaimer is that something may be changing my tastebuds...that i dont know yet...however, it tasted slightly vinegary to me. However, Jon LOVED it. so maybe my taste buds are off. your truffles were awesome, and even better when slightly melty, and popped in the mouth whole. jess